How incredible (and slightly coincidental) that it happens to be taking place right here in our state of Nebraska this year. Joe and I have been successfully registered, background checked and credentialed, T-Shirted and have gone through training to be volunteers. We could not be MORE honored to be a part of this amazing event! I can NOT wait to be witness to and cheer on some amazingly talented athletes. They have all worked so hard to be here and should be extremely proud of their efforts. Quite an achievement...I have a feeling this will be a deeply inspiring week for me and all who attend!
It kicks off today with the 2010 Cessna Airlift. Just the thought of this effort gives me chills and puts a lump in my throat.
Starting right now...Cessna Citation owners are coming together to transport 3,000 Special Olympics athletes and coaches from across the United States to Lincoln, Nebraska.
Corporations and individual Citation owners and operators have donated their Citation business jets, pilots and fuel to transport athletes to these Games. Without their generosity, many, if not most, of these athletes would not have been able to make this trek to Lincoln, NE.
A Special Olympics Citation will land or take off every 60-90 seconds during a 12-hour period. After The Games conclude on July 23, the Special Olympics Citation fleet will return to Lincoln to pick up the athletes and return them to their homes. Citations will travel approximately one-and-a-half to three hours each way, and each Citation will transport four to seven athletes plus one coach or sponsor. Harrison Ford will be the Honorary Chairman for the 2010 Cessna Airlift.
umm. WOW!
I will be going into Lincoln today for a wedding shower...I think I may ask my passenger, Shelly, if she wants to perhaps mosey on by the Lincoln Airport and perhaps welcome some of these athletes and coaches to Nebraska. It would be so neat to be a face in the crowd cheering as they get off their planes - offering up a high five or two. We'll see how our other passengers, the kiddos, are cooperating at that point :-)
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As a volunteer - I am on the "Green Team" and am a "waste management supervisor...not the most glamorous role, but hey someone's gotta do it, and I'm just happy to be a part of it all. My main priority is to keep the Flag Football areas clean and clutter-free. The goal is to have this year's games be green. There will be several recycle bins, I just need to make sure that the proper items get put in the proper bins. I think I can handle that. I will also be volunteering as a "fan in the stands"...I encourage ALL of you to try and attend some of the competitions and be a "fan in the stands" as well. It sure would mean a lot to these athletes to see so many people cheering them on.
Joe is volunteering a few days in the aquatics venue, serving in the area of food service. He seems to have his duties all figured out and is anxious to start!
LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
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Thank you for volunteering for help! It will be a lot of fun seeing all of the athletes. Look for Toninette there. She has been working on this for the past 6 months as a volunteer coordinator.
ReplyDeleteJodeen